Thursday, May 29, 2014

Palliative Care Motion 456 receives near unanimous support in Canadian Parliament

Alex Schadenberg

By Alex Schadenberg

Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Congratulations to Charlie Angus (MP NDP) who successfully steered Motion 456 through parliament. Motion 456 calls for a National Palliative and End-of-Life Care Strategy in Canada. The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) was one of many groups that supported Motion 456.

Motion 456 is the result of the work of the Parliamentary Committee on Palliative and Compassionate Care that released its report: Not to be Forgotten: Care of Vulnerable Canadians, on November 18, 2011 that focused on improving: palliative care for all Canadians, suicide prevention strategies and protecting people from elder abuse.

Motion 456 hopes to lead to the creation of a pan-Canadian Palliative and End-of-Life Care strategy that would enable the Provinces, the National government and other important stake-holders, to work together for a common implementation and improvement of palliative and home-based care for all Canadians.

Charlie Angus MP

Charlie Angus responded to the support for Motion 456 with the following media release:

As Canada's ageing population puts unique stresses on our medical system, it is increasingly important that we have a coherent strategy for palliative and end of life care across Canada.

This is an issue that touches every Canadian and leaves an impact on every single family. When we have good options for palliative care, we can ease the many burdens on families so they are able make these difficult transitions. Where the services are fragmented, too many people fall through the cracks - right when they need support the most.

We are happy there was all-party support for a Pan-Canadian Strategy for Palliative and End of Life Care as laid out in motion M-456. Together, we must thank the many people and organizations across the country who worked hard to advance this important issue.